Restocking Without Guessing: A Reorder Point You Can Actually Use
Running out of a bestseller is expensive; holding three months of stock is worse. The fix is a single number per product — where you reorder — worked out from how fast it sells and how long it takes to arrive.
6 October 2026 · 2 min read
Inventory decisions tend to be made by feeling: order “a bit more” before a sale, or wait until the shelf looks empty. Both produce the same two problems — a week with nothing to sell, or a storeroom full of the wrong thing.
The short version
- One number per product
- Daily sales × lead time
- Plus a safety buffer
- Recalculate monthly
The formula, in plain words
- Reorder point
- The stock level at which you place the next order. Below it, the remaining stock may not last until the new order arrives — so the order goes in, not later.
Say a product sells about 3 a day and your supplier takes 10 days. You need roughly 30 units to cover that gap. Add a buffer for the week the supplier is late or a promotion moves twice as fast: another 15, and you reorder at 45.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Sales per day (last 30 days ÷ 30) | 3 |
| Supplier lead time | 10 days |
| Stock used before arrival | 30 |
| Safety stock (about a week) | 15 |
| Reorder point | 45 |
Use the last 30 days, not your best week
Peak-season numbers make you over-order for the other eleven months. Use a normal month, then deliberately raise the safety stock for December rather than rebuilding the whole formula.
Keeping the number honest
A reorder point is only as good as the two inputs behind it. If sales double or the courier gets slower, the number is stale and will fail exactly when you need it most.
Monthly inventory check
- Sales per day recalculated from the last 30 days
- Lead time confirmed with the supplier, in writing
- Anything below its reorder point is ordered today
- Safety stock raised for known busy periods
- Multi-location stock counted at each location
- Slow movers reviewed for clearing
The value is not precision — it is replacing a decision made from anxiety with a decision made from two numbers you already know.
A storefront that answers before the question
Contact details, policies, stock and delivery options all live in one place — so buyers stop having to ask.
See plansFrequently asked questions
What is safety stock and how much do I need?+
It is the extra stock that covers a late supplier or a sudden run. A week of normal sales is a reasonable starting point for most small stores; raise it for known busy periods and slow couriers.
How often should I recalculate the reorder point?+
Monthly is enough for most stores, and immediately after any change in supplier, courier or product range. A stale reorder point fails silently until you run out.
Does this work for products with variants?+
Treat each variant as its own item, because they rarely sell at the same rate. Averaging across sizes is how a store ends up with five of the wrong size and none of the right one.
Sources
Ready to open your store?
Build your online store with Tokoo — one flat monthly fee, no commission on sales.
Start freeRelated articles
Dead Stock: How to Spot It Before It Eats Your Cash
Every store has a shelf of things that seemed like a good idea. The difference between a small mistake and a cash problem is how quickly you notice — and what you do in the first month.
The Tokoo Team·
The 11.11 to 12.12 Playbook: Getting Your Malaysian Store Ready for Sale Season
Four sale events land in six weeks: 11.11, Black Friday on 27 November, Cyber Monday, then 12.12. Here's the order to do things in — margin maths, stock, bundles, shipping cut-offs and payments — so the rush grows your business instead of eating it.
The Tokoo Team·
When One Product Sells Out Overnight: What to Do in the First 48 Hours
A post takes off, one product clears out, and the messages start arriving. How you handle the next two days decides whether it becomes a customer base or a week of apologies.
The Tokoo Team·